Val’s interests include women's health, spirituality, environmental issues, holistic health, complementary healthcare, sacred space, eco-spirituality, voluntary simplicity, and sustainability. Dr. Lincoln is committed to living an examined life, living consciously and mindfully. She brings this lived commitment to the workshops and institutions she serves.

Dr. Lincoln has led Woodwinds for the last five years in developing and implementing holistic nursing and healing healthcare strategies using a multi-disciplinary approach that is fundamentally grounded in education, practice and research. Woodwinds, a 78 bed, not-for-profit hospital, has innovative relationships with Northwestern University (with programs in Chiropractic, Oriental Medicine & Acupuncture and Massage Therapy), the University of Minnesota, and the Center for Spirituality, which advances the integration of healing and spiritual practices. Val is on Faculty for both the School of Nursing and The Center for Spirituality and Healing. At Woodwinds Hospital, she has worked to create several healing arts services that are accessible to staff, patients and volunteers, including the following programs and services:

• Healing Arts Therapies where healing arts practitioners (acupuncturists and massage therapists) are credentialed, supervised or coordinated. Other practitioners are available through the service and include Healing Touch, Reiki practitioners, and Healing Arts practitioners who are trained in the use of essential oils, massage, healing music and guided imagery. Integrated standardized physician order sets have been developed for Orthopedics and Healing Arts.

• A Holistic Nurse Mentor project that includes staff nurses who are trained and coached by staff nurses skilled and trained in holistic nursing and in the use of Healing Arts Therapies.

• An interdisciplinary Holistic Practice Council meets monthly and leads the evolution of holistic nursing practice and healing healthcare.

She has ensured that holistic nursing is integrated into practice, education, and nursing clinical research throughout Woodwinds. Holistic nursing classes are mandated for all staff RN and PCA’s (Patient Care Assistants). Staff nurses must annually focus at least 3 contact hours in Holistic Nursing.

Patient satisfaction has risen as a result of Val’s work. The Picker Patient Satisfaction Survey awarded Woodwinds’ Maternity Care Center as the nation’s highest patient satisfaction standard in the country. And physicians report that their patients routinely benefit from our holistic model and desire “more”.